Chair adaptors



Dec. 14, 1965 A. J. BRAUN 3,223,055

CHAIR ADAPTORS Filed May 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FIG-3 AUGUST J. BRAUN AT TO RN EYS A. J. BRAUN CHAIR ADAPTORS Dec. 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed May 11, 1964 FIG?) FH FH' FIGS FIG7

N U A Du RB 0. TJ N ET S U G U A MM may AT TORNEYS United States Patent Ofi ice 3,223,655 Patented Dec. 14; 1965 3,223,055 (IHAIR ADAPTGRS August 3. Braun, 165 N. Kostner, Chicago, ill. Filed May 11, 1964, Ser. No. 366,578 7 Claims. (Cl. 1ti8145) This invention relates in general to collapsible articles of furniture and more particular to hinged collapsible chair adaptors.

Many times it is necessary to increase the height of a normal chair seat. For example when a young child sits at a table on a regular chair the table top is too high for comfortable use. It is thus desirable to raise the height of the normal chair seat to accommodate the child.

There are innumerable instances when the adults need chairs wherein the seats are required to be higher than normal. For example, when performing tasks such as typing or ironing it is desirable to use a high seated chair.

The need for high seated chairs has given rise to many varied types of chairs and chair adaptors. Some of the devices known in the art that have been used in attempt to adequately meet the need for a high seated chair have been the stool type chairs, the adjustable chairs, and auxiliary chair adaptors for raising the chair seats.

The obvious drawback of the stool type chair is that it is a specialized chair. Hence the stool chair is not suited for general use and obviously not an aesthetic part of a dining room set or even a dinette set.

Adjustable chairs are known that overcome the deficiencies of the stool type chairs. These chairs are designed to look like the ordinary dining room chair or dinette chair. The seats of the adjustable chairs however can be raised and adjusted for temporary use at an elevated height. After such use, the seats are returned to the normal height. Among other things; a great drawback of such adjustable chairs is the complicated mechanisms used in attaching the seats to the chair frames. For example, special types of hinges and hinge arrangements have been used in attempts to find a hinged adjustable seat that is inexpensive and yet rugged enough to sustain the wear and tear inherent in use as a support for a height adjustable seat.

Another drawback in the use of adjustable chairs has to do with the fact that the chair necessarily has to be continually moved from one point of use to another. Also since the adjustable chair serves a dual function it will receive more than the normal wear and tear and hence be subject to a shorter life.

The shortening of the life of the adjustable chair caused both by transporting it to its many different points of use and by its dual use can be overcome by using auxiliary raised chair seats. The auxiliary seats can be of the collapsible or non-collapsible types. The non-collapsible types are difiicult to store where they are readily accessible and yet not underfoot.

The known collapsible type of auxiliary seats or chair adaptors are complicated structures using fasteners such as clamps, nuts and bolts to secure the seat in the elevated position. The nuts and bolts must be loosened to raise or return the chair adaptor to its collapsed position.

A primary object of this invention is to provide economic collapsible chair adaptors that require no fasteners to adjust when elevating or collapsing the seat.

Another object of this invention is to provide chair adaptors useful on most chairs for providing an elevated seat platform supported on hinged leafs. When the hinged leafs are folded, placing the adaptor in its closed position, it is in condition and of a convenient size for readily accessible storage. When the hinged leafs are extended they are securely locked in the extended position by the weight of the elevated seat and whatever it supports.

A related object of this invention is to provide chair adaptors'that can be temporarily used on completed chairs to provide an elevated seat or can readily be fastened to form a chair having a seat whose height can be readily adjusted.

Another object of this invention is to provide a collapsible chair adaptor wherein the seat platform is sup ported by a hinged mechanism. When the adaptor is in the elevated position, the hinged mechanism is designed to evenly divide the forces among all the hinges employed in supporting the elevated seat.

In accordance with one aspect of this invention an elevated self-contained foldable seat is provided by a chair adaptor that can be permanently afiixed to or temporarily placed on regular chairs or any stationary surface. The inventive adaptor comprises a base section and a seat assembly associated with each other by two hinge assemblies. The hinged association allows the seat assembly to be raised to its elevated position for use or lowered to its folded position for storage without the necessity of using special tools or even tightening or loosening any type of fasteners.

Each of the hinge assemblies comprises three hinges: a top hinge, an intermediate hinge, and a bottom hinge.

The top and bottom hinges are aflixed to the seat assembly and the base section respectively. Common top and bottom hinge leaves extend from the top hinge and the bottom hinge respectively to the intermediate hinge. The leaves have bent sections that abut against each other near the intermediate hinge when the seat is in the elevated position. Top and bottom brackets are provided with angled surfaces that are contiguous to the respective top and bottom leaves when the seat is in its elevated position. In this manner the lateral and vertical forces on the three hinges are equally distributed between the three hinges.

When the adaptor is in the collapsed position, the hinge leaves are pivoted away from the brackets, the bent sections are disposed in non-contiguous relationship, and the entire hinge assemblies are folded together thereby enabling the seat assembly and the base to be juxtaposed for forming a compact arrangement, convenient for storage purposes.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of the invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the inventive chair adaptor in its elevated position;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the chair adaptor in its elevated position with dash lines showing the hinge assembly fully extended and in the process of being folded;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the chair adaptor in its folded position;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the chair adaptor in its elevated position;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of a top hinge and bracket taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 while the adaptor is in its elevated position;

FIG. 5a is a sectional view of the top hinge and bracket of FIG. 5 when the adaptor is in its folded position;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the intermediate hinge and adjacent abutting portions of the hinge leaves taken along line 66 of FIG. 4 with the adaptor in its elevated position;

FIG. 6a is a sectional view of the intermediate hinge and adjacent abutting portions of the hinge leaves of FIG. 6 when the adaptor is in its folded position;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the intermediate hinge and adjacent abutting portions of the hinge leaves, taken along line 77 of FIG. 4 showing a coil spring mounted on the hinge; and

FIG. 8 is a vector force diagram showing the distribution of forces at the intermediate hinge when the adaptor is in the elevated position.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a chair adaptor is illustrated therein and is designated generally by the reference character 10. The said adaptor is designed to be placed on a surface such as that provided by the seat of an ordinary chair. The adaptor 10 is comprised of a seat assembly 11, a base 12 and two mirror-image hinge assemblies 13, 13' dependent from and interposed between the base and seat assemblies. The hinge assemblies lock to support the seat in the elevated position shown in FIG. 1.

The seat assembly is comprised of a padded seat section 14 which may be fitted into a seat receiving section 15. The seat receiving section is interchangeable with the base 12. This of course reduces the manufacturing costs by reducing the number of parts required and consequently substantially reducing the tooling and storing costs.

Both the seat receiving section 15 and the base 12 are fabricated from sheet material with sides such as sides 16, 17 bent normal to the flat section 18 to form a shallow, opened top, rectangular cube suited to receive the padded seat section 14.

The hinge assemblies 13, 13 each comprise an intermediate hinge 19, 19 respectively. The intermediate hinges 19, 19 each pivotally connect a pair of top and bottom hinge leaves 21, 22 and 21', 22' respectively. The ends of each leaf terminate in top and bottom hinges 23, 23' and 24, 24'. The bottom hinges 24, 24' are shown in FIG. 1, the top hinges 23, 23' are shown in FIG. 2. As also shown in FIG. 2, both the bottom and top hinges of each hinge assembly 13, 13 comprise bracket arrangements 26, 26' and 27, 27' for respectively fastening the hinge assemblies to the seat assembly and the base with the hinges interdisposed therebetween capable of being pivotably adjusted to support the seat assembly in the elevated position.

In accordance with one aspect of this invention, means are provided for distributing the vertical forces that are applied to the intermediate hinge when the inventive adaptor is in use. In greater detail the hinge leaves are formed so that the portion of the top and bottom leaves adjacent to the intermediate hinges are contiguous to and abut each other when the seat is in its elevated position. The bent portions of the leaves 21, 21 and 22, 22 which are planar sections are designated as sections 21a, 21a and 22a, 22a, respectively. Therefore, as shown each leaf includes a planar member and a planar section or bent section which extends outwardly at an angle from the plane of the planar member. The outer ends of planar sections 21a, 22a, and planar sections 21a, 22a, are pivotally connected together by the intermediate hinges 19 and 19 respectively.

Means are provided for elfectuating the transition .of the adaptor from its folded position to its elevated position. In greater detail springs such as spring 28 are provided at each intermediate hinge to produce a biasing force tending to actuate the hinge leaves from the folded position into the position they maintain when the adaptor is in its stable elevated mode.

The dashed line drawing of FIG.'2 at A and A more aptly depicts the adaptor in transition between its folded mode, best shown in FIG. 3, and its stable elevated mode. In its folded state the seat assembly 11 is juxtaposed to the base 12 so that only the sides 16 and padded section 14 are visible in the front view. The hinge assemblies are folded to fit completely into the base 12, that is into the space between the top of Wall 16 and the bottom section 18 of base 12. In this way the entire adaptor appears to be only a seat section. In addition the compact package can be conveniently stored away until needed.

The solid line drawing of FIG. 2 shows the chair 4 adaptor in its stable elevated mode ready for use. The' base is set on any fiat surface such as a chair seat. The

bottom hinge brackets 27, 27 are fastened to the base bottom section 18 by using fasteners such as rivets 31, 31' respectively. The intermediate hinges are unfolded and refolded until the bent sections 21a, 22a and 22a, 22b of leaves respectively abut each other to prevent any further movement around the intermediate hinges 13, 13'.

Means are provided for distributing to all of the hinges the force applied to the seat adaptor When in use. In greater detail angle sections 33, 33, 34 and 34' are provided respectively in each of the brackets 26, 26, 27 and 27'. These bracket angle assemblies are designed to bear a portion of the load applied to the seat section. Because the load is distributed and no individual hinge has an inordinate portion of the load; normal hinge construction can be used without the necessity of, for example, using heavier pintles or hinge knuckles. Thus, an economical unit is provided wherein the weight of the seat adaptor is minimized While its strength is optimized.

The dashed line drawing of FIG. 2 at A, A indicates how easily the seat adaptor is changed from the stable elevated position to the folded position of FIG. 3. In greater detail the dashed line drawing shows the seat adaptor raised to its highest position with the hinge assemblies 13, 13' fully extended. Further FIG. 2 at B, B shows the hinge assemblies pivoted to fold the adaptor. When the hinge assemblies 13, 13' are folded in the direction shown at B, B neither the bracket angle sec- :tions 33, 33, 34, 34' nor the bent portions 21a, 22a, 21a, 22a restrain the pivoting action of the hinges. On the other hand it is obvious that when the intermediate hinges 13, 13' are pivoted outwardly the angle section 33, 33, 34, 34 and the bent sections 21a, 22a, 21a and 22a cooperate to restrain the further hinge pivoting so that the seat section 11 can support a load.

Since both sides of the invention seat adaptor are similar, for purposes of explaining the invention, only one side View need be shown.

The right side view drawing of FIG. 4 shows the seat adaptor in the stable elevated stage. Means such as intermediate hinge 19 pivotably connects top hinge leaf 21 to bottom hinge leaf 22. In greater detail the top hinge leaf 21 terminates at its bottom edge, in hinge knuckles such as knuckle 36. In a like manner the bottom hinge leaf terminates at its top edge in knuckles such as knuckle 37, coaxial and adjacent to knuckle 36. Pintle 38 provides a means for interlocking and pivotably joining the adjacent knuckles.

The bracket section 26 of top hinge 23 is fixedly attached to seat assembly 11 with fasteners such as rivets 32. The top hinge leaf 21 abuts against the bracket angle section which acts to arrest any further movement of the leaf 21 toward the bottom leaf 22 when the intermediate hinge 13 is moved toward the outer periphery of the seat adaptor.

In a similar manner the bottom leaf is pivotably attached to the base section 12 through bracket 27 fixedly attached to section 12 with fasteners such as rivets 31. The bottom leaf abuts angle section 34 which arrests the further movement of the bottom leaf 22 toward the base section 12 when the seat adaptor is in the stable elevated position.

The abutting relationship of the hinge leaves and the angle section is best shown in FIG. 5 which is in a sectional view taken through line 55, in FIG. 4. This of course shows only the top bracket 26 and the top hinge leaf 21, however, it should be understood that the arrangement of the bottom hinge leaf and bottom bracket is the same. .As shown in FIG. 5, the top edge of top hinge leaf 21 terminates in knuckle 41 of top hinge 23. The upper bracket 26 comprising angle section 33 terminates in knuckle 42. Pintle 43 pivotably interconnects knuckles 41, 42 to form top hinge 23.

In FIG. 5a the same section of the inventive seat adaptor is viewed when the adaptor is in its folded position. At that time, the hinge leaf 21 is swung away from angle section 33 by pivoting around hinge 23 allowing the hinge assembly to be folded into the cavity created by walls 16, 17 of base 12.

In accordance with the invention, means such as the bent abutting sections 21a, 22a of hinge leaves 21, 22 respectively, are provided for cushioning the intermediate hinges from the forces normally applied to these hinges. This is best shown in FIG. 6, a sectional view taken through line 6-6. Therein is shown hinge leaves 21, 22 having respective bent sections 21a, 22a. When the adaptor is in its stable elevated mode the bent sections are contiguous and abutting to each other and prevent the further movement of the intermediate hinge toward the outer periphery of the adaptor. The butting together of the leaves distributes the vertical forces which would normally be applied directly to kunckles 36, 37 and pintle 38 of hinge 13. The distribution of the forces and the resulting cushioning of the hinges permits the use of hinges made of lighter materialswhich substantially reduces the weight and expense of the adaptor assembly.

FIG. 6a shows the leaves 21, 22 when they are pivoted around hinge assembly 13 to the folded position allowing the seat 11 to be juxtaposed to the base section 12. As can be seen in FIG. 6a the bent sections 21a, 22a do not interfere with the movement of the intermediate hinges 13, 13. toward each other.

To aid in setting the seat adaptor to its stable elevated position biasing means such as spring 28 are provided. This is best seen in FIG. 7 which is a sectional view taken through line 7-7 in FIG. 4. Spring 28 is a coil spring having pintle 38 axially passing therethrough. One end 28a of spring 28 is contiguous to bent section 21a of leaf 21, while the other end 28b of spring 28 is contiguous to bent section 22a of leaf 22. When the seat adaptor is in its stable elevated mode there are no stresses applied to the spring. However, when the seat adaptor is folded into its collapsed position the bent sections 21a, 22a apply stresses to ends 28a, 2817 respectively. The spring therefore in tending to restore to its normal unstressed condition applies a biasing force to the hinge assembly that acts to force the adaptor to its stable elevated position. This spring force thus aids in changing the adaptor from the folded mode to the stable elevated mode.

A feature of the invention is the diminution of the forces that would normally act on the hinge. The diminution of forces is accomplished due to the cooperative interaction of the angle sections 33, 33', 34, 34' with the hinge leaves 21, 22. The force diagram of FIG. 8 shows an example of how the lateral or horizontal forces acting on the intermediate hinge 19 are cancelled.

Due to the weight of the seat plus anybody using the seat a vertical force F is applied to seat adaptor. This vertical force when applied through hinge leaf 21 would produce the lateral force F at hinge 19. However, due to the force F applied to leaf 21 by angle section 33 a resultant force R, that is opposite in direction to the force F is produced. In this manner the forces that would normally act on individual ones of the hinges are substantially reduced or cancelled entirely, depending on the relative leaf dimensions used.

In one embodiment of the invention the leaves are all of equal length. The angle sections of the brackets and the bent sections of the leaves both are bent at 135-degree angles from the horizontal so that the top leaf is at a 90- degree angle from the bottom leaf when the adaptor is in its stable elevated position. Thus each leaf is at 45 degrees from a horizontal line drawn between the top and bottom leaves. With this particular embodiment the forces are equally distributed between all of the hinges and tend to cancel each other at any individual hinge.

To use the inventive seat adaptor, it is placed on any 6 stationary horizontal surface in its collapsed or folded condition '(FIG. 3). The seat assembly 11 is grasped and lifted. The lifting action coupled with the bias spring force of springs 28 tends to unfold the hinge assemblies 13, 13 as shown at B, B in FIG. 2. The lifting is continued through the point shown at A, A in FIG. 2 where the hinge assemblies are completely extended. Then the seat is firmly pushed down. The springs 28 will force the hinge assemblies to assume the locked position shown at C, C of FIG. 2. This is the stable elevated position in which the adaptor is designed to be used.

After use the seat section 11 is lifted through position A, A where the intermediate hinges may be moved toward position B, B. Continued pressure on seat section 11 will then cause the seat adaptor to return to its folded condition, ready for storage.

While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specific apparatus it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

For instance, I contemplate that this device could very easily be made out of plastic and the padding for the chair adaptor could be eliminated.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-contained foldable adaptor for selectively providing an elevated seat comprising: base means adaptable to rest on a surface; a seat assembly; and foldable hinged means disposed between and joining said base means and said seat assemblies together, said hinged means having at least two spaced apart hinge assemblies, each of said hinge assemblies having an upper leaf and a lower leaf, each of said'leaves including a planar member and a planar section extending outwardly at an angle from the plane of the planar member, an intermediate hinge pivotably connecting the outer end of the planar section of said upper leaf to the outer end of the planar section of said lower leaf, an upper hinge pivotably connecting said upper leaf to said seat assembly, a lower hinge pivotably connecting said lower leaf to said base means, said planar sections of said leaves abutting against each other to prevent further movement when said hinge assemblies are unfolded past a fully extended position with said intermediate hinges moved toward the outer periphery of said adaptor to provide a stable position for said elevated seat.

2. A self-contained foldable adaptor for providing an elevated seat, comprising: base means adaptable to rest unfastened on any stable horizontal surface, seat assembly means, hinged means disposed between and pivotably joining said base means and said seat assembly means, said hinged means including two spaced apart hinged assemblies, each of said hinged assemblies having an upper leaf and a lower leaf, an intermediate hinge pivotably joining said upper leaf to said lower leaf, upper bracket means including an upper hinge joining said upper leaf to said seat assembly, lower bracket means including a lower hinge joining said lower leaf to said base, bent sections adjacent said intermediate hinge on said lower leaf and said upper leaf abutting each other when said leaves are pivoted around said intermediate hinge from a contiguous folded position through a fully extended position toward an opposite folded position, said abutting relationship providing a stable extended hinge position by preventing further movement of said leaves toward said opposite folded position, and angle means in each of said bracket means designed to abut said leaves when said upper and lower leaves are in said abutting relationship whereby said adaptor provides an elevated seat held stable by the abutting relationship of said leaves against said lower leaves and both leaves against said angle means.

3. The adaptor of claim 2 wherein said upper and said lower leaves are dimensionally equal.

4. The adaptor of claim 2 wherein the angle between the non-abutting portions of said upper and lower leaves is 90 degrees when said hinges are in said stable extended hinge position.

5. A hinging device for connecting between an upper and lower surface comprising:

an upper leaf;

a lower leaf;

an intermediate hinge pivotedly connecting said upper leaf to said lower leaf;

upper bracket means having an upper hinge joining said upper leaf to said upper surface;

lower bracket means having a lower hinge joining said lower leaf to said lower surface;

bent sections adjacent said intermediate hinge on said lower leaf and on said upper leaf for abutting against each other to prevent further movement of said leaves when said leaves are pivoted around said intermediate hinge from a continguous folded position through a fully extended position toward an opposite folded position for providing a stable position; and

angle means included in each of said bracket means, said angle means being designed to abut said leaves when said bent sections are in said abutting relationship, for providing a raised said upper surface held stable in said stable position by the cooperating abutting relationships of said bent sections with each other and said leaves against said angle means.

6. A hinging device as defined in claim 5, wherein the vertical level of said raised upper surface in said stable position being controlled by the angle of said upper and lower angle means with respect to said upper and lower surface respectively.

7. A self contained foldable adaptor for proving an elevated supporting surface comprising:

base means adaptable to rest unfastened on a surface:

a supporting assembly;

an upper leaf;

a lower leaf, each of said leaves including a planar member and a planar section, said planar sections extending outwardly at an angle from the plane of the planar member;

an intermediate hinge pivotedly connectingthe outer end of the planar section of said upper leaf to the outer end of the planar section of said lower leaf;

an upper hinge pivotedly connecting said upper leaf to said supporting assembly;

a lower hinge pivotedly connecting said lower leaf to said base means, said hinges cooperating to pivot said leaves for moving said supporting assembly to a particular stable elevated position and to a foldable position wherein said upper surface is contiguously juxtaposed with respect to said lower surface, said planar sections of said leaves abutting against each other in said stable position, said planar sections providing a substantial contacting surface for preventing further movement of said leaves when said supporting assembly is in said stable position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 581,486 4/1897 Monkiewicz 108l45 1,431,172 10/1922 Musselman 108-81 2,520,789 8/1950 Weiss 108145 2,593,750 4/ 1952 Greitzer 297338 2,729,274 1/ 1956 Boschetti 297338 2,967,037 1/1961 Christle 108145 2,993,675 7/1961 Tatter 108-145 FOREIGN PATENTS 557,148 2/1957 Italy. 751,417 6/1956 Great Britain.

48,671 9/1917 Sweden.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SELF-CONTAINED FOLDABLE ADAPTOR FOR SELECTIVELY PROVIDING AN ELEVATED SEAT COMPRISING: BASE MEANS ADAPTABLE TO REST ON A SURFACE; A SEAT ASSEMBLY; AND FOLDABLE HINGED MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN AND JOINING SAID BASE MEANS AND SAID SEAT ASSEMBLIES TOGETHER, SAID HINGED MEANS HAVING AT LEAST TWO SPACED APART HINGE ASSEMBLIES, EACH OF SAID HINGE ASSEMBLIES HAVING AN UPPER LEAF AND A LOWER LEAF, EACH OF SAID LEAVES INCLUDING A PLANAR MEMBER AND A PLANAR SECTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AT AN ANGLE FROM THE PLANE OF THE PLANAR MEMBER, AN INTERMEDIATE HINGE PIVOTABLY CONNECTING THE OUTER END OF THE PLANAR SECTION OF SAID UPPER LEAF TO THE OUTER ROD OF THE PLANAR CONNECTING OF SAID LOWER LEAF, AN UPPER HINGE PIVOTABLY CONNECTING SAID UPPER LEAF TO SAID SEAT ASSEMBLY, A LOWER HINGE PIVOTABLY CONNECTING SAID LOWER LEAF TO SAID BASE MEANS, SAID PLANAR SECTIONS OF SAID LEAVES ABUTTING AGAINST EACH OTHER TO PREVENT FURTHER MOVEMENT WHEN SAID HINGE ASSEMBLIES ARE UNFOLDED PAST A FULLY EXTENDED POSITIONED WITH SAID INTERMEDIATE HINGE MOVED TOWARD THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID ADAPTOR TO PROVIDE A STABLE POSITION FOR SAID ELEVATED SEAT. 